MARCH 2-8, 2015
White River State Park officials are working on plans to acquire part of the former GM stamping plant site and build a permanent music venue to replace The Lawn. Kathleen McLaughlin has the scoop. Also this week, Anthony Schoettle unpacks how middling radio station WRWM-FM 93.9 turned the tables on its competitors, rocketing to first place one month after switching its format to old school hip hop. And in A&E Etc., Lou Harry says Bent Rail Brewery will be famous for its sandwiches before its beer, and Mike Lopresti lowers the curtain on a Butler fairy tail.
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State park nears deal to acquire GM land for concert venue
The White River State Park intends to buy part of the former General Motors stamping plant site and might build a concert venue there to replace The Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn.
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Format switch to old school hip-hop rockets radio station to top of charts
Indianapolis radio station WRWM-FM 93.9 rocketed from the 15th-most-listened-to station in central Indiana in December to No. 1 in January—its first full month playing old school hip-hop.
Read MoreAuer Growth Fund, falling short of name, plans to stay the course
Some fund managers tweak their strategies or fees when things aren’t going so well. But don’t look for Bob Auer, the fund’s 53-year-old senior portfolio manager, to do so.
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Top-flight runners may take to Indy’s downtown streets
USA Track & Field is sprearheading an effort to bring a unique outdoor track and field competition to the streets surrounding Monument Circle.
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Startup Handcrafted Beverages takes on Big Soda
Founder Jerry Rezny thinks craft soft drinks can disrupt the soft drink industry just as craft beer shook up establishers brewers.
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Round-the-clock dental practice sees opportunity in the wee hours
24 Hour Dental Care has seen 550 patients since opening on Virginia Avenue Dec. 15.
Read MoreReeling developer dumps ‘worthless information’ on court
A judge ordered HDG Mansur chief Harrold Garrison to appear in court after creditors charged he is dodging their requests for information and filed a contempt motion.
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21c seeks $9M loan from city to turn Old City Hall into $55M hotel-museum
The project, which would add a modern 150-room hotel to the historic downtown building, also hinges on approval of an $11.3 million federal loan through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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Indiana ports set records in 2014
Ports operated by the state set shipping records last year, according to Ports of Indiana, the quasi-government body that operates ports at Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan, and at Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon on the Ohio River.
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Strong dollar divides economy into winners, losers
Hoosier businesses and consumers face a dynamic not seen in a generation—a dollar significantly more muscular than many competing currencies. Experts predict the dollar’s clout and the pros and cons of that power will endure for a year and possibly as long as three.
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How to beat the export blues? By playing up old strategies
An Indianapolis exporter that stood to take a hit from the strong dollar is faring well, thanks to a strategy honed in two prior cycles when the currency stood tall.
Read MoreIndy maps out export plan
The Indianapolis area could see exports rise if a plan released Feb. 21 succeeds.
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EDITORIAL: Indiana legislators fail us again
Prohibition died 82 years ago. Indiana’s maddening blue laws live on.
Read MoreKIM: ‘Mini-tenders’ not part of investor Happy Meal
Mini-tenders are often used to catch small investors off guard and take advantage of their lack of knowledge.
Read MoreMAURER: Public prayers can still turn ugly
Winning friends and influencing people works best if you don’t condemn them to Hell.
Read MoreRUSTHOVEN: Preschool works; let’s move ahead
Our City-County Council will soon address funding for Mayor Greg Ballard’s preschool education initiative, the next step toward making it a reality. That step should be taken.
Read MoreTHOMAS: Work sharing calms economic waves
The best way to stimulate the economy is by keeping workers on the job through work sharing. The return is greater than infrastructure investments or tax cuts, according to Moody’s Analytics.
Read MoreFEIGENBAUM: ‘Killer amendments’ waylay expected policy changes
Veteran legislative observers had felt the timing was right this year for two policy changes long overdue.
Read MoreRACE: An agenda for evolving great Indy neighborhoods
One-size-fits-all solutions don’t work for urban neighborhoods.
Read MoreUtilities make power grab
Across the country we have witnessed utility crusades to stomp out competition from rooftop solar. Now, in Indiana, we see an unprecedented attack by utility companies like AEP, Duke and Vectren to maintain their monopoly status.
Read MoreCompromise on school funding
Fix the way Indiana funds public schools, indeed [Feb. 23 Steve Freeland Viewpoint]!
Read MorePence development fund deserves another look
Indy Chamber knows that affordability and ease of doing business are important economic development assets. But we also know that we live in a talent-driven economy—and our strategy for growth and jobs must adapt.
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Sun King puts proposed $8.8M Fishers brewery on hold
A proposed Sun King Brewing Co. expansion in Fishers has been delayed as the brewer awaits legislation involving barrel limits and sorts through environmental issues at the site.
Read MoreLegislator: Sunday alcohol bill ‘did not have the votes’
Indiana will keep the distinction of being the last state with a "blue law" banning Sunday carry-out alcohol sales after the sponsor of a bill that would have lifted the ban said Tuesday the measure is dead.
Read MoreSpeaker kills bill criticized as detrimental to solar usage
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, has killed a bill that critics say would have depressed the use of solar and other alternative energies.
Read MoreCarmel consulting firm to add about 30 local workers
Consulting firm enVista LLC plans to hire about 60 employees this year, with about half of those at its Carmel headquarters, the company announced Tuesday.
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Feds finally end probe into Lilly bribery allegations
The U.S. Department of Justice told Lilly last month its investigation was over—more than a year after the drugmaker paid $29 million to the SEC to settle related bribery allegations.
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